Scraper bowl structure



Aug. 21, 1951 R. G. LE TOURNEAU SCRAPER BOWL STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed April 27, 1946 ugc 21, 1951 R. G. LE TOURNEAU SCRPER BOWL STRUCTURE Original Filed April 27, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 R. G. LE TOURNEAU SCRAPER BOWL STRUCTURE Aug. 21, 1951 Original Filed April 27, 1946 Patented ug. 21, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SCRAPER BOW; STRUCTURE ri G.- L; l umeu n ieW, 3 x a si er to B. G. Le Tourneu, Inc., Stockton, Calif., a corporation of California Original application April 27, 1946, Serial No.

665,578. Divided and thisxapplication Dec'ember 4, 1947, Serial No. 789,733

This invention relates 'to, and it is an objct to provide, an imprVed eafth Wrking scraper Of the type which is oprative to dig, carry, un lo'ad, and spread 'earth. V

This appliation'is'a division of copnding applicati0n, serial NO. 665,578,'fi1d April 27, 1946, now Patent No. 2,495,336 of Janiiar 24, 1950, on Earth Workihg scraper.

Anothr objeCt Of the invention is to provide a scraper which ir1lds an eartli Carring bbw1 of novel construction; such bowl beng simplified and of relativl lignt wght, but of substantial Strength and durabilit.

An additiontl object of the invention is to prvide a novel sffning frame structure as rein- Orcing means for the side walls or plates ofthe bowl.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a scraper bowl constructed in a manner such that the side walls or rlates can be unconnected above the bowl bottorn from their forWard ends t0 adjacent thir rear'ends.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the scraper, with the bowl in unloading positin-and the front apron raisd.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, mainly in section, showing the bowl in transport position, and the front apron closed.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the scraper.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the scraper comprises a bowl, indicated generally at straddled from the front by means of a heavyduty draft yoke, indicated generally at 2. The draft yoke includes transv6rsely spaced, rearwardly and downwardly inclined side beam 3 pivotally connected, at their rear ends, to the corresponding end of the bowl l, adjacent the bottom of the latter, as at 4. At choir forward ends, and ahead of the bowl, the side beams 3 are rigidl connectad together by a havy-duty tubular cross beam 5. centrally of its ends the cross bem 5 is formed with a rigid, forwardly projecting attachment neck 6 which is coupled in rigid relation to a power steering unit 1 mounted on and upstanding from the deck 8 of a tractor at the rear end of the latter; the tractor being of two-whl type, with the wheels shown at 9.

At its rear end the scraper bowl l is formed with a rigid, rearwardl projecting, open frame structure Il], which supports a pair of trans- 4 Claims; (Cl. 37'126) Versel spaced rar Whels II. The pairs of Whels 9 and Il re or rel ztively large diameter and ar' broVided v1ith pneumatic tires.

Th bowl is provided, within the same, with a lonigtudinally movable rear end, or earth pushmit, gate l2 which includes a blade or sweezq-J3 which rides on the bottom 14 of said bowl, The rar endgjate l2 is formed on the bacl: therof With a pusn bar sseflibly or frame l5 power actu-ntd, to advance or retact Said rear endgate, by power mechanism supported Within the frame structre Il), but not heie shown. 4

The bottom l4' of the b0wl is of reinforce'd construction and at its forward edge is formed Witl1 a blade base l6, on which a transverse cutting or digging blade Il is attaclied.

The bowl l inblde's metal side plates 18 which are secured in connection with, and upstand from, opposite sides of the bottom IG of said bowl. Each side plate l8 is formed in unitary relation with a stiifening frame structure which comprises the f0llowing:

At the rear end and outside theerof each side plate is secured to an upstandifig post l9; said pbsts being connacted, at their upper ends, by a top back beam 20. A top side bearh 2l is fixcl 'on each side plate 4 la on the inside and extends along the upper edge of said plate. V

An upstanding ihermecliate poSt 22 is afiixed to each side plate 18 on the outside thereof, and stiffening beams 23 and 24 similarly affixed to the Outside of each side plate extend forwardly fr0mthe intermediate post 22, to which they are also connect6d.- Each stiffening beam 23 is disposed longitudially adjacent the bottom of the bowl, whereas the stining beain 24 extends diagonally at a dowriward and forward slop frein the interihdiate post 22. The pair of s:tiie ening beams 23 and 24 on each side of the boWl project forwardly ahead of the latter, and form a part of f0rwardly projecting bowl lifting amis 25 on opposite sides of said bowl.

At thir forward ends the side plates la aie convex, as shown, and said plates ihclude, adj a' cent said forward ends and on the inside thereof, 'arcuate reinforing or stiffehing ribs 25', Said ribS being connected to and extending downward from the top side beams 2l a substantial distance; i. e. to approximately the point of intersection with the corresponding diagonal stifiening beams 24. The ribs 26 are of such cross sectional configuration, as shown in Fig. 4, that they f6ather forwardly relative to the corresponding side plates.

By reason of the above described construction or the bowl l, it is simplified and of relatively light weight but is strong and durable. Additionally, the stiffening trame structure, as employed in connection with each of the side plates 18, makes possible the elimination of the conventional arch or A-frame which connects opposite side plates of scraper bowls at the forward ends of the latter.

The sides plates of the bowl in the present scraper are unconnected above the bottom of the bowl from their forward ends to adjacent their rear ends. This simplifies construction, reduces weight, and improves the operators vision of the load.

The scraper includes, in cooperation with the initially open, forward end of the bowl l, a vertically swingable apron 21 which includes side arms 28 at opposite ends thereof; said side arms extending rearwardly alongside the bowl to pivotal connection at their rear ends with the side plates 18 adjacent the upper edges thereof, as at 29. The apron side arms 28 work or swing in a Vertical plane between the side beams 3 of the yoke 2, and adjacent side plates l8 of the bowl.

The apron 21 includes side wings 30 of double-wall construction, as shown in Fig. 4; the rearward end portion of the inner wall of each of said side wings being feathered laterally out, as at 31, to the rear edge of the corresponding outer wall.

The apron 27 is vertically adjustable between a closed, dirt retaining position, as shown in Fig. 2, and a raised open position, as shown in Fig. 1, by means of an electric motor-actuated, power winch mechanism, indicated generally at 32, which includes an adjustable suspension cable 33 connected to said apron.

Raising and lowering of the bowl l is accomplished by means of another electric motoractuated, power winch mechanism, indicated generally at 34, which includes adjustable suspension cables 35 connected to the forward ends of the lifting arms 25.

The mechanisms 32 and 34 are supported by the cross beam 5.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

l. A scraper bowl comprising a rigid bottom, side plates secured in connection with and upstanding from opposite sides of the bottom, and a stifiening rib formed on each side plate along its forward edge portion on the inside of the bowl and extending downwardly from adjacent the upper edge of said side plate t a termination some distance above the bottom; said ribs being of a cross sectional configuration such that the same feather forwardly relative to the corresponding side plates and each having a lateral back face substantially at right angles to the side plates.

2. A scraper bowl comprising a rigid bottom, side plates secured in connection with and upstanding from opposite sides of the bottom, upstanding posts secured to the side plates adjacent their rear ends, means rigidly connecting the posts, longitudinal top beams secured on the side plates along the upper edges thereof on the inside, intermediate upstanding posts secured on the side plates on the outside, stifiening beams secured on the side plates on the outside and extending forwardly from the intermediate posts, one stiffening beam on each side plate extending to its forward edge some distance below the upper edge thereof, and Stifiening ribs formed on each side plate along its forward edge portion on the inside and extending downwardly irom said upper edge to a point adjacent its intersection with said one stifiening beam.

3. A scraper bowl comprising a rigid bottom, side plates secured to and upstanding from opposite sides of the bottom, such side plates being unconnected above the bottom from their forward ends to adjacent their rear ends, and a stiffening trame structure affixed to each side plate, such trame structure comprising upstanding posts at the rear ends of said side plates, a back beam connecting the posts at their upper ends, an inside beam fixed to the inside of each side plate along the top edge thereof, an upstanding post fixed to the outside of each side plate intermediate its ends, an outside beam fixed to each of said last named posts and to the adjacent side plate near its lower edge, a second outside beam fixed to each of the last named posts intermediate its ends and to the adjacent side plate and angling downwardly and forwardly toward the first named outside beam, and a stiffening rib fixed to the inside of each side plate adjacent its forward edge and extending to a point of intersection with the corresponding second named outside beam.

4. A scraper bowl structure as in claim 3 in which the outside beams proje0t forwardly of the front ends of the side plates, and lifting arms fixed rigidly to the forward ends of said outside beams.

ROBERT G. LE TOURNEA.

REFEREN CES CITE!) The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Numoer Name Date 2,101,400 Lawler Dec. 7, 1937 2,252,763 French Aug. 19, 1941 2,262,310 Wooldridge Nov. 11, 1941 2,380,285 Austin July 10, 1945, 2,394,428 Cox Feb. 5, 1946 

